It’s that time again – time for San Diego Comic-Con! SDCC 2017 kicks off Wednesday, July 19 with Preview Night, then is in full swing from Thursday, July 20 through Sunday, July 23. Josh and Violet have each put together a list of the panels they’re most excited about! Read on to find out what those panels are, and to see how alike or different their lists are as well!
Josh’s Top Panel Picks:
As per our usual yearly ritual, Violet and I are choosing our top 5 panels we will be attending and top 5 panels we wish we were attending. Unfortunately, I feel like one of “those people” attending Comic-Con, as I get the most enjoyment out of the big spectacle panels that bring a lot of movie footage and such. Those are going to be in my top seeing panels, and I feel a little ashamed/guilty about that. But it is the way I feel and that can’t be changed! Sadly, my Friday looks like it will be fairly shot in terms of getting any panels in, as I want that guaranteed in for Saturday’s Hall H panel, so I will be in line pretty early Friday to ensure I will be able to see all that goodness. That is enough rambling though, here is the list below!
1. Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, Hall H, Saturday, 11:30am to 1:30pm – I am really torn between which panel I am most excited to see—Marvel’s panel or Warner Bros. They both generally put on a great spectacle, and I really look forward to seeing what both have to show this year. I think I am going to give the edge to Warner Bros. this year, and Wonder Woman is a big reason for that. That movie gave me a reinvigoration of anticipation for the DCEU. I am hoping for some awesome footage for Justice League this year, and I really am hoping we get some other big news too, such as announcements about Patty Jenkins returning for Wonder Woman 2, Man of Steel 2 details, and I am really hoping to see something about Matt Reeves ideas for the Batman movie. Besides the DC stuff, I am really excited to see some footage for Bladerunner, Ready Player One, and perhaps some information about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’s sequel. There is a lot to be excited about for Warner Bros, and it isn’t just comic book movies.
2. Marvel Studios, Hall H, Saturday, 5:30pm to 7:00pm – Marvel certainly will be a fantastic panel this year. Coming off of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming, both really good movies, I can’t wait to see what Marvel has to show us this year. Their footage last year of Spider-Man: Homecoming gave me a renewed interest in that movie, so I am really hoping to see some stuff that will hype me up for Thor: Ragnorok, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, and hopefully, some tidbits about Captain Marvel, if we’re lucky. The spectacle that Kevin Feige brings to Comic-Con is really great, and Marvel does a great job of making the panel feel special for the audience. I can’t see this year being any different, and given that we are nearing the end of the Marvel Universe as we know it with Infinity War, I am guessing a lot of the current cast of the Marvel films could be moving on, so it will be nice to see them a couple more times before they hang up their capes for good.
3. 20th Century Fox, Hall H, Thursday, 11am to 12pm – I was surprised to hear that Fox has decided to move to Thursday with their panel. They have been in Hall H on Saturday for most of the past Comic-Con years. But I am still pretty excited to see what they are bringing to the Con. While the panel is listed as “TBA”, I am hoping that we get some information and trailers for a few different movies: Kingsman: The Golden Circle is one of the movies I am most excited about coming out. The previous movie was a big surprise with how much I liked it. Despite my lukewarm feeling about the first trailer for the second movie, I felt the same way about the trailers for the first Kingsman, so I feel confident the second one will be great as well. Seeing more footage could only strengthen that feeling for me. I am also hoping we get some more X-Men universe news, for movies such as Deadpool 2, and the next X-Men movies. Deadpool 2 should be a lot of fun, much like Kingsman, and while I am not sure Ryan Reynolds will show up for the movie, how much fun would that be if he did? In costume would make it even more fun. Learning more about the next X-Men movies would be a lot of fun too. We know Dark Phoenix is the focus of the next film, and I am hoping that we can see some footage for that movie. Despite me not being thrilled with X-Men: Apocalypse, I am hoping the franchise can bounce back with the next movie, and seeing footage and hearing what the makers of the movies have to say could really bolster my feelings on the movies.
4. Westworld Panel and Q&A Session, Hall H, Saturday, 4:15pm to 5:15pm – Westworld is hands down the best show on TV right now (yes, I know it is in the middle of a really long break). That show was so entertaining and thought provoking, that I still think about the show, despite watching it several months ago. I don’t imagine we will be getting a ton of insight for the next season, given how far away it still is, but I am very interested to hear what the writers/showrunners have to say about the show. Maybe we will get some tidbits about the show. Additionally, I often find most of the Q&A panels pretty lackluster, as the questions asked always seem pretty arbitrarily answered, but given the depth of this show, I really think there is a big opportunity to see some really thought-provoking questions come up. Oh, and the last thing—this panel is by HBO, so I am really hoping for some cool giveaways for the panel given how generous HBO is with Game of Thrones.
5. Doctor Who: BBC America Official Panel, Hall H, Sunday, 2pm to 3pm – This will be the last panel of the day for Comic-Con’s Hall H. I have been pretty critical of Doctor Who lately, but I actually think the recent episodes have been pretty good. I have enjoyed the darker nature of the episodes with Peter Capaldi, and think he is a great actor for the role. I will be sad to see him leave the role, and I am curious to see what stuff Steven Moffat will be bringing to show us for the last episode. Also, Moffat is leaving the show himself, so I am curious to see what he has to say about that, and if we will get any indication as to the direction the show will head in next. I have a very low expectation of Moffat announcing the new Doctor that will replace Capaldi, as I imagine this panel will be somewhat dedicated to his exit, but it would be a great place to drop the news, and I would be pretty excited to learn who is coming aboard next. The Christmas Episode is pretty far away still though, so I am not expecting too much.
Basically all of the panels I wish I could attend are on the Friday of Comic-Con, which is disappointing. I really wish it wasn’t such a madhouse to get into Hall H Saturday. But maybe one year, I will convince myself it is not worth it! Anyway, here are the Top 5 panels I wish I could attend:
1. AMC’s The Walking Dead, Hall H, Friday, 12:15pm to 11:15pm – I will be busy waiting in line for Saturday on Friday, so there is little to no chance I will be seeing any panels this day. While I have been pretty harsh on Walking Dead as of lately, feeling story decisions haven’t been the greatest with the writing, I still maintain hopes that the show gets better, and I really think the cast of the show is very talented. I also think the show is at an exciting point for most fans, as the next season looks like it will be a turning point in terms of the gang in Alexandria dealing with the nemesis of the season (I am trying to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t been caught up!) So getting some sneak peek as to what could be coming in October when the show returns could be pretty exciting. Unfortunately, this is one panel it looks like I won’t be seeing, however.
2. Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A Session, Hall H, Friday, 1:30pm to 2:30pm – This is another panel on Friday I will be missing due to waiting for Saturday. But Game of Thrones is coming back soon, and I am excited to see where the show will be taking us. Getting an opportunity to see the cast and writers for the show means we could get some interesting tidbits about what to expect coming up. The Game of Thrones panel always has the best giveaways for its audience as well. It is a bummer I will be missing out on that again.
3. Mold, Resin, 3D Printing, and FX Techniques, Room 11, Friday, 5pm to 6pm – This is another Friday panel that will be unfortunately missing. This panel looks to be really interesting, given that I really enjoy building things. I have done some resin casting, and would really love to do some 3D printing and other various visual effects type crafting. These types of panels are panels I wish I had time to attend, but there is so much going on at Comic-Con, unfortunately I do not have time to get to them. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to attend one of these panels, as they seem like a lot of fun.
4. Netflix: Marvel’s The Defenders, Hall H, Friday, 5:15pm to 6:15pm – I really enjoy the Marvel Netflix shows, and the Defenders is the culmination of the events of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. I am hoping we get an Avengers-esce feel to the series, as seeing the four different heroes come together could be a lot of fun. I would certainly love to get into this panel if I wasn’t stuck waiting in line for Saturday.
5. Behind the Scenes of Overwatch’s Newest Hero, Room 6BCF, Friday, 7pm to 8pm – I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but again, Saturday’s line is going to impede my ability to see the Overwatch panel this year. I had a lot of fun in the panel last year, which was on Thursday, and since there is a new hero currently in testing, it would be interesting to learn more about this hero’s abilities and backstory. For those unfamiliar with Overwatch, it is an FPS shooter made by Blizzard in which players take on the role of various villains/heroes and play a few different game modes. I have recently had a renewed interest in playing again, and was really hoping I would be able to get into the panel this year. Alas, it is on Friday.
So there you have it! Saturday is going to be a fun-filled day for me, but I will have to pay for it with Friday. Hopefully this time I am not waiting on asphalt, as last year that destroyed me. Luckily, I had some people help me out last year, and this year I will certainly be more prepared! Comic-Con is at the 1 week mark, and it can’t come soon enough!
Violet’s Top Panel Picks:
There’s so much going on at SDCC, both inside and outside the convention, our plans are actually still not in place yet! I’ll go through the top 5 panels I will likely be going to (assuming I’m able to get in, that is), followed by the top 5 panels that I most likely won’t be able to make it to due to scheduling conflicts, but would want to check out if I could be in two places at once.
First Choices:
5. Battlestar Galactica Reunion. Thursday, July 20, 2:30pm – 3:30pm in Ballroom 20 — BSG is one of my favorite TV shows ever. In fact, just thinking about it makes me want to go back and re-watch the series! I wasn’t into the convention scene yet by the time the show ended, so I’ve never had the opportunity to see a full on BSG panel (though I have seen panels with a few cast and crew here and there). So far, creator Ron Moore, producer David Eick, and cast members Tricia Helfer (Six), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), Mary McDonnell (Roslin), Grace Park (Boomer), Michael Trucco (Sam Anders), and Aaron Douglas (Chief) have been announced for the panel, hopefully with more to come. I’m hoping Edward James Olmos (Adama) will be there so we can get an epic “So Say We All!”
4. Westworld Panel and Q&A Session. Saturday, July 22, 4:15pm – 5:15pm in Hall H — What a brilliant show that we have gotten from HBO that leaves us always asking questions, always wanting more. Maybe we’ll actually get some answers to our burning questions during this panel! Then again, maybe not. But it will be great to hear the many panelists talk about what it’s like to work on the show. Plus, HBO has always given some great swag for their Game of Thrones panels, so I’m hoping we’ll likewise get some great Westworld swag!
3. Netflix’s Stranger Things. Saturday, July 22, 3:00pm – 4:00pm in Hall H — At long last, Netflix is making an appearance at SDCC in a huge way, with one of its most popular original shows. And this is not one of its collaborations with Marvel, this is truly an original. I absolutely loved Stranger Things, and there were some real breakout stars in the series, especially Millie Bobby Brown. I’m excited to see the show make its SDCC debut and to hear and see what’s in store for Season 2!
2. Warner Bros. Pictures. Saturday, July 22, 11:30am – 1:30pm in Hall H — Warner Bros. is bringing it in a big way: Ready Player One, Blade Runner, Justice League, Aquaman and probably other surprises in store. And they’re bringing all the big name stars. Steven Spielberg, Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, and the list goes on. It’s going to be pretty amazing.
1. Marvel Studios. Saturday, July 22, 5:30pm – 7:00pm in Hall H — This brings us to the crown jewel of Saturday Hall H, Marvel Studios. We don’t know exactly who or what they’re planning on bringing, since they haven’t announced anything (and rarely ever do announce anything beforehand), but we have a pretty good idea, based on the Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther banners that they have up in the Gaslamp. Plus, it isn’t out of the question that we might get some Avengers: Infinity War tidbits, considering that there’s already confirmation that there will be something for that movie at D23 Expo the week before. Marvel knows how to put on a great show, especially last year, so I’m expecting nothing less this year. Plus, we got some cool swag last year as well!
So yeah, as you can see, pretty much what I’m most excited about is Hall H on Saturday! But here are some panels I’m a bit sad that I will probably have to miss.
Second Choices:
5. NBC’s Timeless: Fan Tribute Celebration. Thursday, July 20, 3:30pm – 4:30pm in Room 6BCF — I really liked this show, as I am a sucker for time travel, so I was pretty bummed when it was cancelled… But then I was very happy when it was un-cancelled just a couple days later! Unfortunately, Josh never got into this show, and we’ll probably be busy with another panel during this time anyway, so it’s unlikely I’ll be able to make it to this one.
4. R.L. Stine, Creator of Goosebumps. Thursday, July 20, 4:30pm – 5:30pm in Room 6DE — I grew up reading Goosebumps and Fear Street, so this would be an amazing opportunity to see one of my favorite authors for his first Comic-Con appearance! I might be able to make this panel, as we’re still finalizing our Thursday plans, but most likely will be preoccupied in another room at this time.
3. The Gifted Extended Sneak Peek. Friday, July 21, 3:45pm – 4:45pm in Ballroom 20 — This is a new series set in the X-Men universe about people with mutant powers who are forced to go on the run. I like when TV shows are connected to a cinematic universe, like Agents of SHIELD, so I’m curious to see more about this particular series. Also, Stephen Moyer (Vampire Bill from True Blood) and Amy Acker (Fred from Angel) star in the series and will be there, and I’ve never seen either of them in person, so that would be cool to see them. However, I’ll probably be in line for Hall H else during this panel.
2. X-Files: A Conversation Between David Duchovny and Dirk Maggs. Saturday, July 22, 6:45pm – 7:45pm in Room 6A — Okay, so it’s not an actual X-Files panel, but it’s as close as we’re going to get to one! I missed out on the X-Files panel at SDCC a few years ago, so I’ve never seen David Duchovny in person, so I would love to have that opportunity, especially since I’m a fan of him not only in X-Files, but also in Californication, among other things. But we’ll be in Hall H during this panel, assuming all goes well.
1. Disney XD’s Duck Tales. Friday, July 21, 3:30pm – 4:30pm in Room 6A — Two words: David Tennant. There aren’t a lot of celebrities I would fangirl over, but David Tennant is one of the few. He’s my favorite Doctor from Doctor Who, and I’m a fan of him in his various other works, from Jessica Jones to Broadchurch. I’ve never seen him in person, so just the thought of being in the same room as him makes me giddy. Unfortunately, this is in a tiny room, plus I’ll be in line for Saturday in Hall H, so it looks like this is not going to happen for me.
